Gothel's Song
by JerseyDog
Summary: Before Gothel found the flower, she had a normal life. But why has she been so cold through her life? Rated T for a reason.
1. The Song

It was a day, in mid winter, when a young girl named Gothel was busy practicing on her piano. She had no one else in the small building, and the piano's sound echoed through the room, against the hollow walls, and off the wooden floor. She had hoped to finish her composition, but saw it as a problem she could not concentrate that day. With a sigh, she took her fingers off the keys. Something wasn't right. She played a few keys, the piano was fine. Then she remembered that today was one of the days she would get to see her younger sister, and she had totally forgotten!

With a rush, Gothel lifted the heavy cover for the piano and placed it over the keys. She place a cloak over herself, as she didn't think the weather was going to get as bad as it had. With hurry, she ran out of the door and locked it. The snow had now piled up a good two feet, making it hard to walk. She shivered as the bitter wind hit against her side, and blew her raven hair out of the cloak. " Stay…" she muttered, pulling it back inside the hood. She noticed her sister was already there, inside of the tower. And there she was, watching her sister clumsily rush through the snow.

Gothel sighed, and rushed through the door, slamming it with a "thud!". She took of her cloak, placing it on the little hook. Her hair had been blown to a side by the heavy wind, and she brushed it calmly as her sister came running down the stairs. " Hi!" she squealed, hugging her older sister's cold arm. Gothel sighed, knowing her younger sister would be very excited. " Hello, Pandora." she said, throwing her hair back behind her shoulders and returning the hug. A loud crackling sound came from the fresh-lit fire, making Gothel jump and turn toward it.

" I started it all on my own!" Pandora declared happily. Gothel looked at her. " Was this a part of the plan?" she asked, pulling out Pandora's necklace. The heat burst up as Gothel pulled the golden chain out of the flames. Pandora frowned. " So that's where it went.." she mumbled, taking the chain from Gothel and placing it around her neck.

The necklace hung over Pandora's neck as dainty as a lace. Gothel smiled lightly and sat next to her sister. " What is it like at the ranch?" Gothel asked, looking at a picture of a horse Pandora had. The nine year old smiled. " It's okay. I don't like the whole part of picking up after the horses, but riding is fun. I wanted to bring my mare, but Jeremy told me it was too cold here." she explained. Gothel nodded in agreement, and Pandora continued. " So what's it like here? In the little village? Can you show me your piano room? Please!". Gothel shrugged. " It's really cold outside, and I don't want Jeremy mad at me. You'll definitely catch a cold." she told her, for Pandora to frown.

" Please? I really want to see it. I'll tell Jeremy it's all my fault!" she begged. Gothel smiled. " Fine, but you aren't going to like it too much outside." she said, giving Pandora a cloak that was way to big. " It's like a big snuggly blanket!" Pandora exclaimed, pulling the red cloth from her head. Gothel laughed, and pulled her black cloak around herself. She opened the door, and Pandora took a rush outside. Gothel closed the door quickly, and Pandora was jumping around in the snow.

" I can't believe you guys get this much! We only get like one inch where I live!" she shouted, stumbling over the long cloak and falling into the snow. She laughed, and Gothel helped her up. " It's not always a good thing. Allot of people freeze to death in this weather." she said, her breath showing up as a little puff in the air. Pandora knew where the piano room was, and rushed toward it. Gothel ran after her as the little girl looked through the glass doors, wanting in. Gothel grabbed the keys and unlocked it, and Pandora jumped in.

" Wow, this place is so quiet. You can hear the wind and snow! How can you play in this weather?" Pandora awed, and looked back at her older sister. Gothel slammed the door closed, and turned toward her piano. " Those things help me. They just give me the sense of peace and security." she explained, walking over to the piano. Pandora's cloak fell on the floor and she ran to watch her sister. Gothel slid onto the seat, and lifted the piano cover. " This song isn't done yet, but maybe you can help me finish it?' Gothel smiled, seeing her sister's eager smile. "Yes! I want to help!" Pandora smiled, and began tapping keys.

After about 3 hours of listening and thinking, Gothel had finally completed the song. Pandora had helped by suggesting many things to Gothel. The nine year old had some talent to help her complete the song, she couldn't deny it.

However, as they were about to leave, tragedy struck.

Pandora had put her long cloak back on, and was jumping in the snow with glee. After the three hours had passed, the temperature was a little warmer. Gothel had been convinced by Pandora to let her play in the snow for a while. As Pandora was hopelessly attempting to walk in the cloak, she fell hard. Gothel was watching the trees and then heard her little sister's scream. " Help me!" Pandora shouted. Gothel rushed toward where Pandora had fallen, to see her in a snow pit. She was extremely cold, and her cloak had fallen off.

Gothel threw her own cloak and Pandora's down to her. " Stay there, I'm getting Jeremy!" Gothel shouted, her teeth chattering. She ran toward the tower, with only her light scarlet dress covering her skin. She opened the door and ran in, not bothering to close it. " Jeremy! Get up now! Pandora has fallen into a pit!" Gothel shouted. Within a few seconds, Jeremy was heading down the stairs to see a shaking Gothel. " Where's your cloak?" he asked her. Without a response, she grabbed him and pulled him outside.

As they both hurried toward the pit, Gothel couldn't hear Pandora anymore. She rushed Jeremy even more, and he hurried to follow her. They reached the hole, and could no longer see Pandora. " Pandora! Pandora! Answer me!" Jeremy yelled, with Gothel panicking uncontrollably. " Pandora…" Gothel whimpered, as her tears began freezing on her face.

Author's Note: Jeremy is cousin of Pandora and Gothel.

I'm leaving you on a cliff hanger, aren't I nice? I want at least one review before I continue the story. So please read and review!


	2. Will You Remember Me?

**Yes, chapter two is now up! I've finally found the time to write it!**

As Jeremy looked deeper into the hole, a small questions appeared in his mind. " What were you two doing out here anyway? You knew it was cold and dangerous!" he scolded. Gothel frowned. " It was Pandora's idea to come out here and listen to the piano, and.." she was interrupted, " I don't care who's idea it was! If she asked, you should have told her no and kept it at that! Would you let your own child do this if you had one?". Gothel was tempted to smack him for his words, but she sighed. He was right, she should have just left it at no and accepted the silent treatment.

" You win, Jeremy. Just get Pandora out." she mumbled lowly. Jeremy jumped down into the hole and dug through the snow pile, looking for Pandora. Gothel waited anxiously above the hole, shivering at the cold wind. Jeremy suddenly stopped, and Gothel looked down at him. " What are you d-doing?" she chattered. Jeremy didn't respond, and Gothel saw the cloak of Pandora.

Jeremy lifted the body of Pandora, who was almost frozen. With his weather and her weak body, he wasn't surprised. She was still breathing, which was good. " I've found her." he said, looking back up at the relieved Gothel." Good." she replied, and send a rope down. He grabbed it, and within a few seconds he was out of the hole. He headed in, Gothel following.

As soon as Jeremy was inside, he slammed the door and lay Pandora on the couch. Gothel sighed down at the little girl, this was all her fault. Jeremy grabbed a cloak and placed it over Pandora, with a few blankets. He looked back at Gothel. " You better pray she's alright." he said to her sternly, before going upstairs. Gothel sat on the floor near Pandora, and felt her cold head. " You're going to pull through. I know you are." she whispered,

As hours passed, Pandora didn't get any better. Her body only grew colder, probably because of the impact of the snow earlier that day. Pandora's breathing also got shallow, and eventually she stopped breathing. Gothel knew she was dead, but she couldn't even cry. She was too shocked, upset. Her head ached furiously as she looked at her body. ' It's my fault…' Gothel thought guiltily, burying her face in a cloak. Her only escape from the death now was to sleep, if horrible nightmares didn't await.

When Jeremy found out about Pandora's death, he was ferociously scolding Gothel, and went home that night. " I just got her back, and now I've lost her. Forever." she told herself as she lay on the couch, clutching her aching head. The rest of the horrible night, her head felt like someone was slowly crushing it, and she stood still. She accepted the pain. She knew it wouldn't go away.

When the funeral came around, Gothel was blocked. To Jeremy, she had murdered the little girl. Gothel never knew it would end up this way. And when she was not welcomed into the funeral, it crushed her. She never got to say goodbye, and never would. She felt her heart thump as she pulled out a picture of Pandora. Her tears triggered without a thought, and one rested near Pandora's body. " Goodbye, little sister.." she whimpered, and put the picture away.

**I thought this chapter was pretty sad, but it's got to happen for the story to be right. Read and review, the next chapter will be up soon.**


	3. Pandora's Song

Many years later….

Gothel felt a cold breeze on her skin as she turned in bed. Rapunzel must have let that window open, staring at those "floating lights" as she called them. Sighing, she pulled herself up from the bed and to the window. A harsh breeze blew in, and something wet hit her arm. She looked at it, and it soaked into her skin. A snowflake. It was winter already?

Gothel looked up, and noticed plenty of snow was on the ground. The trees were covered in little patches of the glowing frozen liquid. She shivered as the snow blew harder. Just as she was about to close the breeze out, a sleepy Rapunzel came downstairs. " M-mother?" she yawned, " What are you doing up this late?". Gothel sighed. " You left the window open dear, and it's winter. It was letting a draft in. Haven't I told you to double check to make sure the window is closed?" Gothel replied, finally closing it.

Rapunzel nodded, with a slight frown. " I'm sorry mother." she apologized. Gothel smiled lightly. " You are forgiven, just don't do it again alright?" Gothel said, and then Rapunzel walked past her. She opened the window, and stared at the falling snow. Sure her skin was cold, but nights like these fascinated her. The wind blowing as if it were whispering to her, snow lingering on her skin, and the gentle cold chill she got from it, she loved it.

Gothel stared, confused at first. " Darling? Why is the window still open?" she asked. Rapunzel sighed. " I just like this. If only I could be out there, I would love it." she told her dreamily. Gothel frowned. " Darling, it's dangerous outside of this tower. Haven't I told you?" she sighed, not wanting to talk about this right now.

" But it's not like it could hurt me. It's just snow." Rapunzel tried to reason. Gothel suddenly remembered why she hated winter. Pando- don't say it! Pandora! Her face turned white, and she once again closed the window. " My flower, that snow may seem as harmless as possible. But beneath it's white sheets can hold dangerous things that would easily trick you." she told her, in a firm tone. Rapunzel sighed, knowing it wasn't worth a try.

" I know mother, I just wish someday I could go outside." Rapunzel explained. Gothel hugged her gently. " It is almost midnight, we need to get to sleep." she reminded, trying to change the subject. To Gothel's surprise, Rapunzel didn't object. She yawned once more, and started off to her room. " Goodnight my flower." she called, and she went over to the window. She opened it, looking out. As she was nearly passed out at the scenery, she heard the tap of a piano key.

She jumped and looked over at it. No one was there, and nothing was there. It had been a while since Gothel had played, so she couldn't resist. Yes, it was midnight, but she didn't care. She sat on the bench, and gently tapped a key. The one that started her song.

Not her song, Pandora's song.

As she continued to play, she had memories flashing in her mind. She knelt on the floor, pulling open the bench. She searched through some items, and there it was. Pandora's necklace. She heavily sighed as she looked at the memory. And then there was Pandora's photo, which almost caused her to burst in tears. But Rapunzel would hear, and she couldn't let that happen. She placed the necklace on the floor, and then put the photo down. Carefully, she closed the bench and picked the necklace up.

Gothel looked at it, her eyes now brimming with tears. " I'm not going to forget you Pandora, though you probably aren't proud of me. Please at least let me hold this as a memory.." she whimpered. As she held the necklace tightly in her hand, she felt a breeze. Quickly, she grabbed the photo so it wouldn't blow away. " I left the window open.." she reminded herself, and went to close it.

As morning approached, Gothel had fallen asleep. Rapunzel was doing her usual chores when Gothel awoke, happy to see her. She simply watched Rapunzel, not wanting to disturb her. She knew how Rapunzel longed to go outside. But she wouldn't let this happen. After what had happened to Pandora, she'd rather it be herself than Rapunzel. " I love you darling." she said, making Rapunzel jump. She realized it was Gothel. " I love you more." she said in return, walking over to her.

She gently placed a kiss on Rapunzel's head.

" I love you most."

Author's Note: I have finished the story, and I really thought this was a nice way to end it. My theory on why Rapunzel wasn't allowed out, and if Gothel really cared for her. Please read and review.

I hope you enjoyed!


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